Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant will soon have its own smart speaker

Microsoft said Monday that it has partnered with audio equipment maker Harman Kardon to put the tech giant's voice-activated assistant, Cortana, into a smart speaker of its very own. The Invoke, as the speaker is called, will allow its owners to use the speaker like a phone, by using Microsoft's Skype. It will also have features similar to its competitors, such as the ability to control smart appliances and tell users what the traffic conditions are like on their commutes, what the latest news is, and what their schedules look like that day. The move puts Microsoft into direct competition with Amazon's Echo and Google Home -- both smart speakers that are designed to act as a "home hub" for smart devices and digital information. Microsoft hasn't announced a smart speaker that it will make, but it appears to be partnering with firms to create gadgets dedicated to its voice assistant.